Grain shield



June 1955 E. L. NEUENSCHWANDER 2,710,771

GRAIN SHIELD Filed March 12,. 1952 IN VENTOR Ernea Z'L/Ve uensolzwander United States Patent GRAIN SHIELD Ernest L. Neuenschwander, Scott City, Kans.

Application March 12, 1952, Serial No. 276,100

2 Claims. (Cl. 296-32) This invention relates to a novel form of shield adapted to be mounted on the front wall of a truck or wagon box to form a windshield to prevent grain from being blown from the truck box or wagon box while in transit, to thereby eliminate the inconvenience and labor involved in covering grain loaded in a truck box with a tarpaulin.

More particularly, it is an aim of the present invention to provide a grain shield of extremely simple construction capable of being folded and conveniently stored when not in use and which may be readily mounted detachably upon the front wall of a truck box or wagon box when used in transporting grain.

Another object of the invention is to provide a shield constructed to fit the stock rack bracket secured to the outer side of the front wall of a truck or wagon box which constitutes standard equipment on most truck boxes and wagon boxes and which otherwise would not be utilized when the box was employed for transporting grain.

Various other objects and advantages of the invention will hereinatfer become more fully apparent from the following description of the drawing, illustrating a preferred embodiment thereof, and wherein:

Figure 1 is an end elevational view looking toward the outer side of a truck box showing the grain shield applied thereto;

Figure 2 is a top plan view thereof, and

Figure 3 is an enlarged vertical sectional view taken substantially along a plane as indicated by the line 3-- of Figure l.

Referring more specifically to the drawing, the grain shield in its entirety is designated generally 5 and preferably includes two corresponding sections 6 and 7. Each of said sections includes an inner post 8 and an outer post 9. Each section also includes a bottom rail 10, a top rail 11 and a plurality of slats 12. The bottom rail 10 is suitably secured at its inner end to the inner post 8 and near its outer end to the outer post 9 and is disposed transversely of said posts. The top rail 11 is secured at its inner end to the inner post 8 near the upper end thereof and is secured, near its outer end to the .3.

outer post 9, likewise near the upper end of said outer post. The top rail 11 is inclined outwardly and downwardly from its inner to its outer end. The posts 8 and 9 extend downwardly a substantial distance below the bottom rail 10 and the upper end of the post 9 terminates substantially below the level of the upper end of the inner post 8. The posts 8 and 9 are secured to corresponding sides of the rails 10 and 11. The slats 12 are suitably secured in upright positions to the opposite sides of the rails 10 and 11, so that the rails are disposed between the slats 12 and the posts 8 and 9, as clearly illustrated in Figures 2 and 3. The slats 12 diminish in length from the inner to the outer end of each section so that the upper ends of the slats 12 are inclined outwardly and downwardly corresponding to the inclination of the top rail 11. The slats 12 terminate at their upper ends a distance slightly above the upper edge of the top rail "ice 11 and the bottom ends of the slats terminate preferably flush with the bottom edge of the bottom rail 10, as illustrated in Figure 3.

The sections 6 and 7 are preferably connected by hinges 13. Two pairs of hinges 13 are preferably employed and are secured to the exposed sides of the inner posts 8 between the top and bottom rails 11 and 10, respectively, with a leaf of each hinge 13 connected to each inner post 8 so that the posts 8 are spaced apart, as illustrated in Figures 1 and 2, for a purpose which will hereinafter become apparent.

A portion of a truck or wagon box 14 is illustrated in I the drawing including the front wall 15 thereof. A conventional stock guard bracket, designated generally 16 is mounted on the outer side of the front wall 15 and includes spaced upright cleats including an intermediate cleat 17 and end cleats 18. A pair of strap members 19 and 20 extend across and are secured to the outer sides of the cleats 17 and 18. Spacing members 21 are preferably disposed between the front wall 15 and the portions of the strap members 19 and 20 which extend between the cleats 17 and 18.

To-detachably mount the grain shield 5 on the box 14, the sections 6 and 7 thereof are disposed in end-to-end coplanar relationship as illustrated in the drawing and the posts 8 and 9 are inserted downwardly between the straps 19 and 20 and the outer side of the front wall 15. The inner posts 8 are spacedapart a distance sufficient to permit them to straddle the center cleat 17 and the outer posts 9 are spaced from the inner posts 8 so as to abut the inner sides of the outer cleats 18. The shield 5 is supported by the bottom rails 10 and the lower ends of the slats 12 resting upon the upper edge of the front wall 15, as illustrated in Figure 3.

The shield 5, when applied as illustrated in the drawing will prevent grain from being blown from the box 14 while in transit and will eliminate the need for covering the grain with a tarpaulin. The shield 5 extends entirely across the front of the box 14 and the slight spacing between the slats 12 allows a small amount of air to pass through the shield which counteracts any transverse drafts of air across the top of the box and eliminates back draft or suction so that the grain is not blown from the box while in transit. When the box 14 is not being employed for hauling grain, the shield 5 is removed therefom and the sections 6 and 7 are folded against one another to render the shield more compact for storage.

Various modifications and changes are contemplated and may obviously be resorted to, without departing from the spirit or scope of the invention as hereinafter defined by the appended claims.

I claim as my invention:

1. The combination with a truck or wagon box having a front wall provided with a stock rack supporting bracket on the outer side thereof and including upright cleats and strap members secured to and extending transversely across the cleats, of a grain shield formed of corresponding sections each including an inner post and an outer post, a bottom rail, a top rail and a plurality of slats, said rails being secured to the posts and slats and being disposed therebetween, said slats being disposed in upright positions and spaced apart slightly to define narrow vertical air passages therebetween, and hinges connecting the inner posts of the shield sections between the top and bottom rails, said posts extending downwardly from the bottom rails and fitting detachably between the straps and front wall of the box, said inner posts being supported in spaced relationship by the hinges and straddling one of said cleats, the other, outer posts abutting the inner sides of other of the cleats, said bottom rails resting on the upper edge of the front wall whereby the slats are disposed in upright positions above the front wall.

2. A shield as in claim 1, said top rails being inclined outwardly and downwardly from their inner ends, and the upper ends of the slats forming an inclined upper edge of the shield sections from the inner to the outer ends thereof whereby the heighth of the shield above the box diminishes from its center toward each of its ends.

References Qited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 4 Marquardt Oct. 23, 1900 Haworth Aug. 12, 1902 Holbrook June 7, 1904 Taylor Aug. 16, 1921 Rufling, Sr. Jan. 17, 1928 

